


Happy Holidays! Here's the Pain Project™ As a Gift (aka Anne Angst™)

by a_slightly_cracked_egg, HMA64, LetsgoRavendors, rainbowskissors, sweetteasensei, Wolfslick6007



Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:21:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27923722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_slightly_cracked_egg/pseuds/a_slightly_cracked_egg, https://archiveofourown.org/users/HMA64/pseuds/HMA64, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetsgoRavendors/pseuds/LetsgoRavendors, https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowskissors/pseuds/rainbowskissors, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetteasensei/pseuds/sweetteasensei, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfslick6007/pseuds/Wolfslick6007
Summary: Hello everybody! This is a collaboration between me (Izzy), Wolf, Lyn, Raven, Tiff, Egg, and a few other people. Our holiday gift to all you Anne Angst™ Lovers!This was originally an idea by @arithebroadwayaddict on Tumblr, as a gift for Cim, but it spiralled into this... mess. Now, we have the Angst Army (the collaborators on this project) vs. The Fluff Army (Lewiss, Cim, Ender, Tired, Fera, Percy, etc.).Happy holidays to you all, and enjoy the angst!
Relationships: Anne Boleyn/Catherine Parr, Anne Boleyn/Catherine of Aragon
Comments: 63
Kudos: 55





	1. Index // Table of Contents

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cimanon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cimanon/gifts), [Lewiss](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lewiss/gifts), [CsjLam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CsjLam/gifts), [FeraBestia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeraBestia/gifts).



> i'm going to put everyone's tumblrs here so you know where to find us :D  
> (please correct yours if it's incorrect; i can't access tumblr atm so i'm doing this from memory)
> 
> \-----
> 
> angst army:
> 
> izzy - @rainbow-skissors  
> wolf - @oratonom  
> lyn - @HMA64 // @parrlyn-and-neurodivergent-six  
> raven - @LetsGoRavendors  
> tiff - @when-will-enough-be-enough // @laffytaffytealover  
> egg - @a-slightly-cracked-egg  
> ari - @arithebroadwayaddict
> 
> fluff army
> 
> lewiss - @arrowfromorion  
> cim - @cimanon  
> ender - @ender1812  
> tired - @tiredlesbian123  
> fera - @ferabestia  
> percy - @percy-the-penguin

hi everyone!!! if you're apart of the project, put your name down and which chapter you're writing.

(bolded usernames means their work is **complete** )

(first chapter doesn't count)

1\. **wolfslick6007**

2\. **rainbowskissors**

3\. letsgoravendors

4\. a_slightly_cracked_egg

5\. **HMA64**

6\. sweetteasensei


	2. Wolfslick6007’s Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Henry was supposed to be gone. Things were finally supposed to be happy.
> 
> So why did Anne suddenly feel like she was being chained down again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Has some Araleyn, just in case someone doesn’t want to read that ship
> 
> TWs: physical/mental/verbal abuse, assault, mentioned stabbing, blackmail(???), mentioned vomiting, panic attacks, some language

“Sorry, not sorry about what I said! I’m just tryna have some fun!”

Anne Boleyn was grinning widely as Megasix blared on.

“N-n-n-no way!” Catalina sang in return and Anne felt her heart swell at the look her girlfriend sent her.

The group paced to the left of the stage as Anne sang her next lines. Anne glanced at her grinning friends. Their energy poured into hers and vice-versa.

This is what she loved to do. Perform on stage night after night, reclaiming her story with those she gladly calls a family.

“You can build me up!”

“LOL!” Anne looked out at the cheering, clapping crowd. Most of their faces were hidden by the bright stage lights.

“You can tear me down!”

“Say oh well!” Anne could make out one face in the back clearly.

“You can try but I’m unbreakable!”

“Or go to hell—!” Anne trailed off slightly, fear appearing in her gaze and her energy fading as she registered exactly who was smiling back at her.

Henry.

Anne didn’t have time to fully process this. The group shifted and moved for Anna and Kat’s lines and Anne half tripped in her haste to move. She plastered the smile on her face and joined the others.

But her gaze quickly surveyed the crowd again and locked into Henry.

It really was him.

He was back.

Anne’s scar burned and ached with phantom pains as memories came rushing through her brain. One hand came up without thinking to scratch at that line of tissue under her choker.

The rest of Megasix was performed on autopilot, Anne’s suddenly terrified gaze remaining firmly on the former king.

The second they struck the final pose, Anne bolted.

She didn’t stay dancing on stage like she usually did with the others. She didn’t wait for Cathy to tape them with an audience member’s phone. She didn’t wait for the others to join her.

Anne just needed to flee.

Get away from the man who had her killed so mercilessly. The man who hurt every single person she cared about.

She was going to be sick.

Anne found herself doubled over a trash can, vomiting. People were yelling around her. Stagehands and directors wrapped up in the confusion of one of the actors suddenly becoming sick.

Everything blurred but the next thing Anne felt was someone grabbing her arm.

And that was not a good moment to do so. Not with the mindspace Anne was currently trapped in.

“Don’t fucking touch me!” Anne swung her arm out, hitting the medic. Her eyes blazed with fear and fury that had everyone taking a startled step back.

Everything blurred again and the panic was pounding in Anne’s chest. It was so hard to hear anything. Everything felt fuzzy too and it felt like she couldn’t breath, no matter how many breaths she took—

“Anne!”

The beheaded queen jolted, turning to meet Cathy’s worried gaze.

“Can you breathe with me, Anne? You’re having a panic attack.” Cathy began to take deep breaths, in and out. Anne shook her head, closing her eyes.

“I know you can do it… just breathe with me… focus on me…” Cathy soothed, gently tapping Anne’s jaw before quickly withdrawing her hand.

It took several minutes of slow breathing exercises. The other queens had been working on getting everyone else either quiet or out of the room, knowing their presence could only make things worse.

The survivor smiled upon seeing Anne a little calmer than before. She said something to the others that Anne couldn’t catch.

Things fell into a silence for a moment and Anne could still see Henry’s face in the back of her mind. Watching the performance.

What would he do if he really was back? Were their happy, free lives about to be ruined? Voices snapped her from those thoughts.

“Hey, Annie, it’s Maggie and Lina. Can we help you stand?” Maggie was asking quietly. Both Maggie and Catalina were on either side of her, Cathy having moved away.

Anne nodded almost numbly, willingly letting the two help her to her feet. Her legs felt ready to collapse out from under her at any second and she felt exhausted from the attack she just had.

The queens and ladies carefully guided Anne up the stairs to the dressing rooms. Maggie and Catalina were glued to her sides, the former shooting her worried glanced upon realizing she would have to go to her own dressing room.

“We’ve got her, Maggie.” Catalina said, opening the door. It took a moment, but the guitarist relented, letting the other three ladies guide her away.

The queens were quick to help Anne change. The green queen was still in a state of shock and panic.

Soon, all of them were back in casual wear, sitting together in the same dressing room rather than their seperate ones.

“What happened, love?” Jane asked carefully.

Anne kept her gaze on the floor, pressing further against Catalina’s side.

Should she tell them? They would be just as panicked upon hearing Henry returned…

“Anne?”

“I think… I think I saw Henry.”

The queens all glanced at each other. Confusion, concern, and fear filled their gazes.

It was Anna who finally sighed and gave Anne a reassuring smile. “I think you just had a flashback, Verrücktes Mädchen.”

Anne felt her heart sink. They didn’t believe her.

“What, no! I saw him, I swear it!” Anne hurriedly glances to Catalina. “Lina, I swear I saw him!”

The golden queen gently took her hand. “We aren’t saying you’re lying, Mi alma. We just think you had a flashback. Maybe you saw someone who looked like him?”

“I—!” For once, Anne paused as her temper built. At this point, she was exhausted.

The panic attack and getting sick had swept all of her energy away. The last thing Anne wanted to do right now was fight… (and maybe, just maybe, they were right. Maybe she had just seen someone who looked like Henry.)

“Alright… okay. Yeah… maybe you’re right.”

(There was this nagging feeling that it was not the case. That she really had seen Henry. And after she was rested, Anne went back to pushing that she had seen him.)

~~||~~||~~

No one believed her.

(Personally, Anne thinks it’s because they’re too scared to admit to themselves that he’s back, festered by years of trauma—)

They didn’t believe that he was back. They thought, maybe the heat got to her, or maybe she even had a flashback.

But Anne knew she hadn’t! Henry was there!

But no matter how much she protested, the others didn’t believe her.

It didn’t mean they didn’t care for her, the contrary really. They all would be by her side in seconds, each in their own special way of caring for her. They just didn’t believe it.

Anne was having more panic attacks than before and her dwindling nightmares made a bold resurgence. Even just during the day she would snap sometimes, worn down and simply tired.

It was rather funny, Anne remembered thinking one day, Henry always had a way of ruining everything.

That thought had been followed by a spiteful laugh that quickly turned into tears.

He really did...

~~||~~||~~

It was several days after seeing him now. And somehow, someway, Jane had convinced her to go pick up milk from the store

(“It would be nice to get out of the house, don’t you think, love?” Jane had prodded gently. “All you need to do is go to the store, get some milk, and then you can come straight home, alright? I can get someone else to do it if you need me to…? Okay, only if you’re sure.”)

So Anne set out to the store. The walk had been nice, even with the anxiety pounding in her skull.

Just as she began to get more comfortable with the idea that things would be alright, that maybe she really hadn’t seen Henry that night, things turned out far from alright.

Hands suddenly grabbed her from behind, tugging her into an alleyway. Anne let out a muffled scream, hidden by a hand, and thrashed. The arms remained strong and she was quickly thrown to the ground.

The first thing Anne did was look for an escape. Shit, the alley was one way, her attacker blocking the only route off.

Her attacker…

“Hello again, my love.”

Henry towered over her, sneering down at her. And suddenly, Anne felt like a cornered animal. She scrambled to her feet glaring back at him in fear and anger.

Henry chuckled. “Are you not happy to see me?”

“Hah!” Anne snickered. “You must have lost brain cells upon being brought back. You think I would want to see the man who had me killed?! Who ruined my friends’ lives?!”

Henry let out a laugh. “Ruined your lives? You all did that to yourselves! You knew what you all had to do, and yet you didn’t.”

“Do what?!” Anne felt a spark of courage flare for a moment, even as she backed up a few more steps. “Be quiet and obedient?! Give you a son?!”

“Temper, Boleyn.” Henry’s voice held a low note of warning as he tapped on his neck. “It would be a shame if something were to repeat.”

Anne flinched back, the panic returned just as swiftly as it faded. There was a stretch of silent, the two staring at each other, Anne still processing exactly what she was seeing.

“How did you come back?! How did you find us?!” Anne finally asked. Her throat felt squeezed and the scar burned and ached just as it had at the theatre.

She thought they finally escaped Henry. She thought they finally had happy lives. Why couldn’t he just leave them alone?! Hadn’t he done enough to hurt them in the past life?!

“I woke up several months ago in this strange time.” Henry said simply. “Imagine my surprise when I discover a new musical about my wives… made by my wives.”

Anne glared back at him, remaining silent.

“It really is funny.” Henry looked at a watch on his wrist, looking bored. That only serves to irritate Anne further. The man continued. “You’re all claiming that you're showing your stories to the world… claiming to be hurt and abused. You all know otherwise.” He placed a hand on Anne’s shoulder, smirking at the way she flinched. “You especially, my love.”

“I’m not your love!” Anne took several steps backwards.

“I suppose you never were, hmm?” Henry mocked her. “Running off with other men.”

“That’s lies and you know it!” Anne’s back hit the brick wall and she paled further as Henry stood in front of her again.

“Ah, then why do you wear a choker around your neck?” He took hold of her shoulders and squeezed enough to cause pain.

Anne froze as one hand drifted up to the choker’s clasp. Please no— she didn’t think she could handle seeing Henry again and also having her choker exposed at the same time—!

Please stop— wake up wake up wake up—!

And then, Henry pulled the choker away.

Anne wheezed, that panic already in her chest peaking. She could feel the air on her scar and felt Henry’s gaze on it as well.

“So you kept the mark of your sins.”

Anne let out a spiteful laugh, managing to twist her face into an unsteady scowl despite the sheer panic overwhelming her. “More… more like I kept the mark of... being murdered for false crimes.”

“False crimes? You and I both know they’re true.”

Just as she opened her mouth to shakily retort, a fist caught her lip, sending her sprawling to the ground.

Henry was roaring now, his temper making an appearance. “You don’t get to convince yourself that it never happened! You shall not hide behind a choker! You have to live with your sins, Boleyn!”

Anne coughed out a bit of blood that had found its way into her mouth from the split lip. Henry was repeating every doubt she had in her mind.

Anne knew she never had the affairs. But it had been used against her so often that sometimes, her mind wondered if she really did have the affairs. And to hear it from the man who had condemned her, abused her, well… that only made it worse.

(Henry knew she didn’t either, a smirk crossing her lips upon seeing how vulnerable she was to the manipulation. The whole point of this was to break her. To shatter her.)

Anne finally let the panic consume her. Henry was alive. He was alive and hurting her. How was he alive?

Oh god, the other queens—

Henry’s foot lashed out, catching her in the stomach and causing her to cry out and cough in pain, curling into a ball. He kicked her a few more times before kneeling to her level.

Anne squeezed her eyes shut, the pain mixing with that need to wake up from this nightmare.

“We’re going to make a deal, my love.”

His fingers were trailing over her cheeks and Anne wanted it all to stop.

“You obey me, listen to everything I say… and those other bitches will be safe.”

Even with the pain thrumming in her stomach, the panic clogging her throat, and the shortness of breath, Anne managed to speak. “What are you saying…”

“I’m saying, you listen to me now.” Henry tilted his head. “If you don’t, then those five queens of yours will be dead.”

Anne stared at him, horror dawning. She didn’t have the power to be angry anymore.

Henry smirked down at her, clearly taking her silence as a good sign. “Well?”

“I…” Anne couldn’t let her family die… not again… “Alright. Okay.”

“Good.” Henry looked too damn proud of himself for Anne’s liking.

The former king noticed Anne’s phone on the ground next to them. He grinned rather happily and picked the phone up, huffing upon noticing that it required a password.

Henry shoved her phone back at the green queen. “Unlock it.”

Anne didn’t reach up to take it, only glaring back as she struggled to catch her breath.

“Unlock it!” His snap was punctuated with another kick. Anne wheezed and had to lay there for a moment before she could shakily take the phone.

Henry smirked upon getting it back. “Don’t worry, my love. I’m just giving you my number. I need to contact you, after all.”

He finished putting his number in and simply tossed the phone so it landed on Anne. The green queen winced and didn’t try to pick it up.

Henry pulled her up by the head to look her in the eyes, earning another sharp gasp of pain. He only hummed, taking in the pain he had inflicted.

“Remember our deal, Anne… obey and they won’t get hurt.”

He unceremoniously dropped her again, letting her curl in on herself. He walked away, out of the alley. Before he left, he gave one last warning.

“I’ll be in touch.”

After he left, Anne could only lay there. Dread filled her body, swirling dangerously with the panic that she finally let loose fully now that Henry was gone. She was gasping for breath, the kicks only making it harder to breathe. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, sobs mixing with the shuddered gasps.

After several minutes, Anne slowly brought herself to her feet, swaying dangerously and almost throwing up from everything.

But she couldn’t just lay there. She needed to get home.

The walk home was painful and Anne had to clutch onto her stomach and made several stops to try and quench the pain and panic, but she soon found herself in front of the familiar house that felt like safety.

(With this much anxiety, it only barely felt like safety. Henry gets what he wants, he finally got her after all. So how would a house stop him?)

Anne closed her eyes, leaning against the doorway for a moment, hiding her pain and wiping away the tears and blood from her lip.

Then, she went inside, keeping her head down to avoid questions about her bloodshot eyes and bloodied lip. She couldn’t help but keep one arm firmly around her stomach, which was still in pain.

“There you are, Anne! I was starting to get worried!” Jane poked her head out from the kitchen to smile at the green queen. It looked like the others were elsewhere.

“Sorry it took a bit.” Anne murmured, closing the door.

“It’s alright.” Jane’s smile shifted to a frown, as she took note of her cousin’s empty hands. “Anne, love, where’s the milk?”

“Forgot it.” Anne said simply, her voice a little rasped and hiding her injury.

She wanted nothing more than the other queens to sweep her up into comfort, but that wasn’t possible. They would ask what happened, who hurt her, and Anne couldn’t tell them.

Not with Henry’s threat.

That thought brought a fresh wave of tears and jump started her breathing to hyperventilating. She moved past Jane, who had been saying something, and quickly retreated to her room.

(Jane shared a confused and worried glance with the arriving Anna, who simply shrugged, her own eyes with that same concern.)

Only when the door locked behind her did she allow herself to crack a second time. She slid down against the door, her legs unable to hold her any longer. Everything seemed to hit her at once.

(She stayed in her room the rest of the day, slumped against that door. Faintly, she could hear the others asking if she was okay. She always gave what she hoped to be a happy reply. The only one who didn’t leave was Catalina, who sat outside her door, whether she knew something was wrong or not, Anne didn’t know.)

The panic attack and memories of Henry, old and brand new, kept its cold grip on her until well into the evening, and even after that she didn’t calm.

Henry was back.

Henry was back and could kill the other queens Anne had come to care about so much. He would only let them be safe if Anne did as he said.

And Anne wasn’t going to chance it.

~~||~~||~~

A punch had Anne doubled over, coughing harshly before she was knocked fully to the floor.

From there all she could do was curl up, protecting her head as Henry launched kick after kick, punch after punch.

Her neck and the scar burned, feeling far too exposed. (Henry didn’t like when she wore her choker in front of him.)

It was the same pattern, day after day.

Henry would call and text her, summoning her to meet with him somewhere. It was usually private, but occasionally, Henry would treat her with dinner or something before they headed elsewhere.

Anne never liked when he did that. It felt like another way for him to show power over her.

And she hated feeling powerless. Powerless was all she felt these days.

The queens had begun asking where she was going, Anne would always have an excuse. That hurt just as much as the physical pain. Lying to the queens, all to protect them.

Her self esteem took a hit just like her body did.

Henry liked to insult her during his assault. He always made a point to call her an idiot. Tell her that she deserved everything she got, here and then. He constantly called her much more unsavory names, reminding her of the ‘affair.’

It was to the point that Anne started to believe him, bit by bit. Maybe she did deserve this, maybe she was an idiot, maybe the affairs really did happen.

(She tried to deny it in her brain, to hold onto the truth. But that resolve was cracking bit by bit the more hope she lost.)

Not even spending time with the queens helped anymore.

It wasn’t like she spent much with them now. Henry was usually calling her away before she could spend much with them. And then she would have to hide away in her room to deal with her wounds and try her hardest to rest. (She was always tired)

Anne couldn’t even do the show. She constantly had to call in sick and say she had doctor’s appointments and the like. Really, her wounds prevented her from singing and dancing like she truly wanted to.

(Perhaps the absence was what fully tipped the queens off. There used to never be a day that went by where Anne was with them, chattering excitedly about anything that caught her attention and showing off the wisdom people tended to forget she had. Now, she was just gone… vanished into her room and gone from the show. Even when she was with them she hardly spoke anymore.)

After he was pleased with the injuries he caused, he always made a point to spit on her. Then he would simply walk away. Every time, he would repeat that he’d “be in touch.”

From there, it was usually a struggle to walk home. To hide her injuries from the queens. She had begun to keep a first aid kit in her room, hidden under her bed.

Anne got used to the stars that would dance across her vision. To the pain that constantly followed when meeting up with Henry. To the panic and fear.

During the agony, Anne always tried to convince her mind that she was somewhere else. That she wasn’t being hurt. She imagined being home, safe and sound with the other queens.

Cathy would be reading, eventually drawing Anne into a deep discussion. Kat would be there to engage in playful conversation, to help each other with their shared pain. Jane would be rattling off a teasing pun that Anne would playfully groan at. Anna would engage her in the playful arguments that always had a way of exciting the both of them.

And Catalina would be by her side, the both of them teasing each other or engaging in a no longer hateful rivalry, and holding each other close.

(It always hurt when that imagination was shattered by a sharp kick.)

It was okay, Anne tried to tell herself. It was all going to be okay.

(It was not okay.)

~~||~~||~~

The queens are not idiots. None of them are.

They’ve noticed that something is up with Anne. Vanishing for what seemed to be hours sometimes. She’s become quieter, more subdued. They especially noticed the way she would flinch away from sudden touch or movements. The injuries…

None of them knew how to confront Anne about this. What do they even do? None of them had faced something like this before.

They finally got the chance to confront her one night.

Anne left the house again, late in the evening, and the queens had gathered in the living room. At this point, they had begun to wonder if Anne would even come back at all one of these days.

The group had come to the agreement that this couldn’t go on any longer.

The door opened and everyone straightened, turning to look at it. They were prepared to call for Anne, to have her explain herself.

They weren’t prepared for the sight of her upon stepping in the doorway.

Anne was limping, her nose and lip were busted, her ribs were clearly bothering her, cuts and bruises covered the exposed parts of her body.

(Henry had been much angrier than usual.)

She froze upon seeing the queens, swaying dangerously.

Catalina was the first out of her seat and by Anne’s side. She looked panicked at her girlfriend’s state and was quickly helping her stand. Anne slumped forward into Catalina’s arms, the golden queen now taking all of her weight.

“Lina?” Anne mumbled, half out of it.

“That’s right, Mi alma. It’s me… what happened to you?” Catalina looked over the wounds in horror.

Anne only hummed in response. Anna was next to them now, gently taking Anne’s other side. “Let’s get you to the couch, Verrücktes Mädchen.” The red queen murmured.

They soon had Anne sitting on the couch, everyone in spots around the room as Catalina and Jane found the medkit.

“We should call an ambulance.”

Anne definitely heard that. “No!” Everyone jolted and looked at her with wide eyes. “Please no… I’m okay.”

“Okay?!” Kat gaped at her. “You’re covered in injuries!”

Anne gave them a pleading look. “Please.”

The queens traded glances, communicating with expressions alone. It was Cathy who finally sighed and shook her head. “Alright. Okay. We won’t for right now.”

Anne let out a sigh of relief, and slumped back against the couch again, all energy drained. She only breathed that relief further when Jane pressed the ice pack to her face.

“Thank you…”

Whether it was about helping her or not calling the ambulance, the queens didn’t quite know.

The queens didn’t push for any information until after they had helped Anne all they could. The girl was practically covered in bandages and had been given pain killers. Catalina had taken Jane’s spot with the ice pack, holding Anne close to her.

“What happened, mi amor?” Catalina asked quietly. A hidden anger and sadness was in her tone. “Who did this to you?”

Anne tensed, pressing her face against Catalina’s neck. “Dunno what you’re talking about…”

“Annie, don’t play dumb! Coming home looking like this?! Someone did this to you… and… it’s been going on for a while, hasn’t it?” Kat’s energy faded towards the end. All of them had noticed Anne getting sadder and sadder as the days passed.

There was no response, telling the queens all they needed to know.

“Anne, we just want to help.” Cathy said after a moment.

Anne could stop the pained chuckle. “There’s nothing you can do to help this.”

“What do you mean, Anne?” Anna asked. Everyone looked a little frightened by the green queen’s broken words.

“I mean you can’t help.” Anne sighed, closing her eyes. “I’ll be fine… I’ll be fine… I’ll be… fine…” she wasn’t speaking to the others anymore.

The other five queens shared terrified glances. What the hell happened? Who had caused this?

~~||~~||~~

Catalina kept Anne close in her sight.

Her girlfriend had been beaten. Catalina wasn’t about to let Anne get anymore injured than she already was.

It was easy enough, being honest. The couple already shared a bed, just as the other couples in the house did. So with Anne asleep in bed next to her, Catalina was able to watch over the green queen.

That did nothing to relax her nerves.

Someone had beaten Anne to this state and none of them knew who had done it. Anne didn’t want to tell them. The only reason police weren’t called was because of just how desperate Anne had seemed for them to not call.

So Catalina stayed awake. She sat propped against the headboard, the lamp on next to her as she gently played with Anne’s hair.

“Who’s hurting you, Mi alma?” Catalina sighed absently to herself. She didn’t like seeing Anne like this a single bit. So broken down and scared when she used to be so lovely and colorful…

Catalina had been lost in those kinds of thoughts (and hopes of how maybe things will get better) when she heard a mumble and felt Anne move.

Her attention immediately turned back to the other woman as Anne began to mutter more in French, shifting anxiously. Sweat beaded her forehead and her eyes were clenched shut.

“Anne? Anne, Cariño, it’s alright… you’re home safe and sound. You’re only dreaming, mi alma.” Catalina whispered, one hand gently pressing against Anne’s forehead.

The nightmare only seemed to get worse. Whatever was haunting Anne made her more and more frantic until she bolted up into a sitting position, crying out as she jostled her ribs.

Catalina was quickly soothing her. “It’s alright, it's okay, you’re safe.”

She repeated her phrases as Anne slowly calmed, her erratic breathing slowing and the fear in her eyes draining. Anne still sat up, out of Catalina’s arms.

“Does it hurt?” Catalina asked quietly, looking over the bandaged wounds.

Anne stared at her for a long moment before slowly nodding. “Yeah…”

Catalina smiled sadly, hiding the angry clench in her jaw. “Do you need anymore painkillers?”

“Don’t think so.” Anne hummed, but she didn’t lay back. There was a certain haunted look in her eyes as she looked away from Catalina, staring at the wall.

Catalina watched her for a long moment. God… all of this hurt. Catalina wasn’t sure what to do in this situation, especially with Anne…

“Was the dream about how you got injured…?” Catalina was almost reluctant to ask.

A long pause… and then a slow nod.

Catalina inhaled a deep breath, keeping her calm. She wanted to find the person who hurt Anne like this and make them pay for it. But Anne wasn’t willing to give any information.

But Catalina would protect Anne in other ways for now. Such as being there for her in situations like this.

The golden queen gave Anne a gentle kiss on the back of her hand.

“Do you want to talk about it, mi alma?” Catalina asked gently, reaching up to wipe away Anne’s tears. (She noticed the way Anne flinched before realizing that the touch was gentle.)

Anne shook her head vigorously. She couldn’t. Not with what it involved, it could lead to them finding out—

“That’s perfectly alright.” Catalina soothed.

“I just…” Anne couldn’t bring herself to care about how her voice cracked. “I just need you…”

Catalina pulled the green queen into her arms, being extremely careful of the wounds, and especially Anne’s ribs. “I’m right here, Spanish. You’re safe…”

And in the safety of Catalina’s arms, Anne finally cracked.

She cracked with the knowledge of exactly what was happening. The knowledge that Henry has her trapped once again, just as she thought she escaped being chained down. The knowledge that she would have to go back to him to enjoy moments like this.

Anne couldn’t stop the wail that escaped her lips. She sobbed and cried and Catalina only held her closer.

Anne wanted nothing more than to tell Catalina and the others what was happening. She wanted them to help. But Henry’s threat still rang in her mind and she knew he could follow up on it if he wanted.

(Faintly, Anne heard the others check on them, worried by the crying. Catalina quietly explained and they all left them alone. Jane only returned for a moment to deliver some painkillers and mugs of tea.)

And finally, Anne released all of the sorrow and pain she had been feeling.

(Anne stopped sharing a bed with Catalina after that night.)

~~||~~||~~

The hell continued.

Henry continued to call and text, telling her to meet up with him, no matter how injured she was. All so he could take his frustrations out on something.

She was quite literally his human punching bag. A punching bag that apparently had the dual purpose of being a verbal punching bag.

And the more Henry told her how worthless she was, the more he spoke of her past and just much of a monster she had been… the more Anne began to believe him. Began to believe she deserved this.

The more broken she became.

If she wasn’t being harmed by Henry, then she was home in bed, those thoughts festering. Occasionally, another queen would join her, be it in silence, with simple chatter, or trying to figure out what was going on.

And the more the queens tried to figure it out, the more Anne became frustrated.

And the more the queens watched her come home injured and hurt and just broken, the more depressed they became as well.

Anne was curled up in her bed. Henry had been angry that day, fury only increasing the pain he inflicted. Luckily, it wasn’t to the extent it had been that one night, enough so that she could hide it from the others.

She was starting to lose hope (truthfully, Anne doesn’t know how she wasn’t already at that point). There was nothing she could do. Nothing the others could do.

Anne had fallen asleep, whether it was actual sleep or unconsciousness from the pain, she didn’t know. But for once, it was without nightmares, or any kind of dream.

Anne wasn’t awake to notice a figure creeping into the room.

But she was awake upon feeling a figure curl into her side, disturbing her injuries. She whimpered at the feeling before turning her head slightly to look at who it was.

“Chaton?”

The pink queen had backed up in a panic upon hearing the noise of pain. “Shit, Annie, I’m sorry! What’s wrong?”

“It’s fine, it’s nothing, promise.” Anne said quickly, hiding a wince as she turned better to look at Kat. “What’s wrong, Chaton? Nightmare?”

“Yeah…” The pink queen replied. “I needed to see you…”

“Well, I’m right here, Chaton. I’m safe, you’re safe.” Anne hummed, letting Kat move close again.

(Both of them knew that Anne was, in fact, not safe.)

There was a stretch of silence as they simply laid there. And then, Kat carefully spoke up.

“Anne… who’s been hurting you?”

Anne tensed, but remained silent.

“You know… all five of us would do anything to keep you safe. You know that, right?” Kat let out a small chuckle that sounded rather pained. “Catalina especially.”

Anne didn’t need to keep herself safe, she needed to keep the others safe first.

“I just… I need you to know that you can come to us. And that we’d do anything for you.” Kat decidedly didn’t mention the others’ making plans to follow Anne soon and put a stop to whatever was happening.

Anne didn’t talk, but she did place a kiss to Kat’s forehead, wrapping her arms around her cousin. Kat sighed at the silence, but returned the hold.

“Okay… that’s okay…”

The two fell into complete silence.

Anne soon drifted off again, her sleep still dreamless. Kat was about to drift off herself when something woke her back up.

A phone was ringing. Anne’s phone.

The green-cased phone sat on the table on Kat’s side of the bed. It was lighting up and ringing with a specific ringtone, not any of the ones Anne used for the other queens, those being their songs, or any of the ladies.

Kat stared at it for a moment.

The phone lit up again, accompanied by that ringtone.

Anne stirred, her whole body tense. Her eyes weren’t open, squeezed shut in fact.

Kat watched her carefully. Was the ringtone causing it…?

(That ringtone was specifically used for Henry. The man set it up himself so she would know when it was him calling and texting.)

Kat carefully reached over and grabbed the phone, silencing it immediately. She didn’t look at the messages yet, instead keeping her attention on Anne.

“It’s okay, Annie. Go back to sleep…” Kat whispered, proceeding to hum a slowed version of Six’s chorus. Anne relaxed again with a deep exhale and Kat smiled upon seeing Anne get a restful sleep.

Then, she warily turned her attention back to the phone.

There were several unread messages and Kat unlocked the phone, knowing Anne’s password by heart (the year Elizabeth was born—).

Kat felt her heart drop into her stomach, her body going numb as her hands began to shake.

Henry: the usual spot  
Henry: now  
Henry: don’t make me call  
Henry: bitch  
Henry: remember our deal

Kat reread the messages several times, processing exactly what she was seeing. Then, she choked back a sob as she put the phone back on the table with trembling hands.

Anne hadn’t seen things that night at the theatre.

She really had seen Henry among the crowd. And now, because they didn’t deal with the problem at the beginning, Anne was paying the price.

Kat looked back at Anne through the darkness, knowing just how much pain her cousin could be experiencing, mentally and physically. She didn’t stop herself from pulling Anne into a tight hug. The green queen flinched and tensed in her sleep for a moment at the touch before relaxing again with a mumble.

The pink queen could only cry as she realized exactly who had been hurting Anne. Exactly what had been going on.

She didn’t fall asleep, keeping careful watch over Anne the rest of the night.

For once… Kat was thankful for a nightmare.

~~||~~||~~

Early next morning, Kat carefully slipped out of Anne’s bed, not waking her cousin. She grabbed Anne’s phone and exited the room, closing the door behind her.

Her tears had dried, and in its place was determination tinted by fear.

The others needed to know.

It only took a few minutes to round everyone up and seat them in the living room. Everyone looked a little nervous, they had only seen Kat like this once or twice.

“Kätzchen, what—“

“I know who’s hurting Anne.”

Everyone froze. There was a strange buzz in the air, a mix of excitement but also fear and worry.

“You what?” Anna asked immediately.

“Who?”

All heads turned to Catalina. The golden queen’s gaze was steely, the woman clearly ready to strike someone down. Someone had hurt her girlfriend, and Catalina wasn’t going to let them get away with it.

(Ever since all of this started, Catalina’s mental health had been deteriorating almost as much as Anne’s was. She was watching her girlfriend, someone she had grown to love so much, get hurt and abused and there wasn’t much she could do about it. When Anne stopped sharing a bed with her, Catalina had even cried to Jane, knowing she couldn’t protect Anne in sleep either.)

Kat shifted nervously. She took a deep breath before unlocking the phone and handing it over.

Slowly, they all read the messages.

Fury. Fury, sadness, and fear. That was the best way to describe their emotions after learning exactly what had been going on. Who had been hurting Anne.

Henry. Henry was the one hurting Anne. Reducing her to a shell of her former self.

They were all silent for a long moment, processing the information they had just learned.

Processing exactly what had happened to Anne. Processing that one of the people they feared most was back. Back and hurting one of their own already.

Jane had her hands clasped over her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks. “She really did see him that night…”

“We didn’t believe her.” Cathy said, almost blankly.

Anna ran her hands through her hair in frustration. “Shit... what do we do now?”

“We need to talk to Anne. Keep her away from him!” Kat said immediately.

“Agreed. But we need to be careful about it.” Catalina replied.

“What’s going on?”

Everyone spun to face the stairs. Anne stood there, watching them with a frown. She was carefully minding her injuries, trying to make leaning against the wall look casual.

In half a second, Catalina was by her side, drawing her into her arms. Anne blinked, wide eyed before closing her eyes and sinking into the embrace with a happy sigh.

She paused again upon feeling tears. “Catalina?” Anne asked, not pulling back.

“You’re an idiot. Eres una idiota!” Catalina muttered out. Anne tensed in her arms, Henry never passed up the opportunity to tell her things like this.

Catalina seemed to feel it and pulled back to look Anne in the eye. “I love you. I love you so much, you’re not an idiot but you should’ve told us. You should’ve told us.”

“Lina?”

On the couch, Kat carefully held up Anne’s phone, showing the messages. Anne fully tensed upon seeing them. She backed up, pushing herself away from Lina and back up the stairs slightly.

“You weren’t… you weren’t supposed to find out…” Anne muttered frantically, gaze flicking between all of them.

“Anne, love, it’s okay. We aren’t mad, I promise.” Jane paused before adding, “Not at you.”

“No! You don’t get it! You weren’t supposed to know!” Anne yelled, panic clear in her features.

“Then help us get it. Let’s sit down, and just talk. None of us are going to hurt you.” Catalina soothed, not stepping towards her girlfriend but holding out her hands in a peaceful gesture.

Anne looked from Catalina’s face to her hands for a long moment, her breathing not relaxing.

“I… okay… okay…”

They were soon sitting with the others. Everyone was silent, not quite sure what to say. All of this had been such a horrifying reveal and it had happened so quickly.

“So… Henry’s been doing this. He’s back.” Cathy started slowly.

Anne let out a pained snicker. “Yeah… he’s back alright…”

“Anne, he’s been abusing you.” Kat said.

“Yeah… yeah he has.” There was no laughter this time, only depression. Catalina pulled her a little closer.

“God, Anne…” Was all Anna could say.

“... I can’t do it anymore.” Anne mumbled. Everyone stared in concern.

Catalina sighed, letting Anne press her face into the crook of her neck. “I’m sure you can’t, Cariño. You're so strong… dealing with it this long… I’m sure it must’ve been hard.”

That was an understatement. And they all knew it.

Anne had been dealing with abuse. Abuse and hiding it from them. Not accepting much of their comfort. All of it for weeks now.

“… Why were you so scared to tell us?”

Anne turned to stare at Jane for a long moment before looking to the ground. “He promised not to hurt any of you if I went along with what he said.”

And suddenly, a lot more made sense.

The queens knew how protective Anne could be. No matter how standoffish she had been at first, Anne was always one of the more protective queens. It was no surprise that Henry used them against her.

“He won’t touch a single one of us. We’ll make sure of it.” Anna sat a little straighter. “And that includes you.”

“You will never be going back to him, Anne.” Catalina said clearly. “You’re safe now.”

(And if Anne proceeded to cry and shake and repeat ‘thank you’ and ‘I love you’ in the center of a group hug, then none of them quite blamed her.)

~~||~~||~~

Things began to get better again.

They got Anne a new phone and number, so Henry couldn’t contact her. They never went anywhere alone, especially Anne.

For about a month, things went well.

Anne became her happy self again, spending more time with the queens again. The wounds she had were mostly healed and she simply felt relief.

She wasn’t perfect, not at all. She still held that anxiety that Henry would show up again. Come out of nowhere and either hurt the queens and begin their deal all over again. She still flinched at too sudden movements and touches.

But it was better than what was happening before. And the other queens were simply happy to have Anne back.

(They always kept a close eye out for Henry. They weren’t going to let Anne go through that again.)

Anne was also back to performing in the show.

(The ladies in waiting, Maggie especially, were also furious upon learning exactly what had been happening. Maggie welcomed Anne back with a hug and a promise that something like that would never happen again.)

It was strange how history repeated, Anne found.

For during Megasix, she once again looked out over the crowd. And just like that one night, Henry stood in the back… Anne stared back at his scowl, wide eyed. Henry tilted his head towards the exit door, a clear clue to meet him outside.

And just like that, every part of herself Anne built back up, collapsed right out from under her.

That familiar threat of what would happen if she didn’t comply rang through her mind.

Anne had to meet up with Henry.

It was easy to slip away from the others after the show ended, using the excuse that she just had to use the bathroom.

Anne found him out in the alley, darkened by the light of dusk. He was pacing angrily and Anne found herself shrinking slightly. She cursed herself for it but couldn’t bring herself out of that position as she walked forward.

She’s seen Henry angry before. It never ended well.

The second Henry spotted her, he was on her. He grabbed her harshly by the shoulders, swinging them around so she was pressed against the wall.

“Where have you been?!” Henry hissed. Anne closed her eyes, inhaling sharply and not offering a response. Henry’s eyes narrowed and he squeezed harder, his hands drifting up to her throat. “I asked you a question.”

“I was busy…” Anne gasped out, the sudden pressure on her throat making her freeze, wide eyed.

“Too busy for me?” Henry huffed. “We have a deal, my love. It would be a shame if the other bitches disappeared, hmm?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Anne sobbed out, spots dancing in her vision. “Don’t hurt them, please!”

“Why shouldn’t I?” Henry glared down at her. “You broke your side of the deal!”

“I didn’t…” Things were starting to grow black, the hands around her neck felt tighter and tighter and her scar burned. But Anne needed to speak, to make sure he wouldn’t hurt her queens. “I didn’t mean to…”

And just like that, the pressure loosened.

Anne gasped for breath, inhaling all the air she could. Henry’s fingers gently traced her jaw and she felt him place a kiss on her cheek. She flinched at both feelings but couldn’t move due to the wall.

Just as quickly as the relief came, it left again as Henry flung her to the ground. “Apologize.” He said, a dark look on his face as he stared down at her.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

“Good enough.” Henry nodded to himself. “You shouldn’t have come back.” Henry smirked at her. “Not someone like you. And I think it’s time to prove it.”

From there, the world blurred into a familiar agony.

It just proved to Anne that when things finally seemed happy, something would always come along to tear it all back down.

Another punch and kick slammed into her. Those black dots were growing bigger and bigger, filling her vision.

Faintly, Anne heard a door slam open. The hits paused.

“ANNE!” Immediately followed by a cry of pure fury. “HENRY!”

“GET AWAY FROM HER!”

And then, Anne slipped into the black.

~~||~~||~~

Waking up, the first thing Anne felt was the pain.

She tried to shift on an uncomfortable bed and let out a yelp as the pain flared and her throat burned. Someone was by her side in seconds, gently taking her hand into a warm hold.

“It’s alright, mi alma. It’s alright now…”

Anne blinked her eyes open, squinting at the bright white lights. “Lina…?”

“That’s right… all of us are right here. You’re safe.” The golden queen soothed, and Anne noticed all five of the other queens sitting around her. She was in a hospital bed.

They gave her some water and Anne relished in the soothing feeling it gave to her throat.

“What… happened?”

There was faint talk around her and Anne made out “doctor mentioned she might not remember.” Before they addressed her directly again.

“Henry… almost killed you.” Cathy broke the news. “He beat you half to death.”

The memories came back and for a moment, Anne only stared. “Oh…”

“Do you… remember?” Jane asked cautiously.

“I… I remember some… I remember up to blacking out.” Anne’s breathing began to grow unsteady again. The heart rate monitor next to them began to spike.

“Anne, it’s okay! Just focus on me, okay? You’re safe now.” Kat murmured, taking hold of Anne’s free hand. Anne calmed in another minute, but she latched onto the last thing Kat said.

“You guys said that last time.” Anne hissed.

Anne paused at the silence that followed. She looked at each queen, noting just how… sad they seemed.

“We know… we know we failed you.” Jane agreed. “But not again.”

“Never again.” Catalina agreed.

Anne watched them for another beat before sighing and closing her eyes. She nodded her head slowly. “Yeah… okay… I trust you. You know I do… but…”

“We understand, Anne. You don’t have to explain.” Cathy said smoothly.

The group fell into silence. It wasn’t a tense one, it was more relaxed than the one before Anne woke up.

“My shoulder hurts a lot.” Anne mumbled. It was true, the pain in her shoulder hurt worse than other places Henry had hit her.

“After we showed up, Henry pulled a knife on you.” Anna was the one who explained. “You’re lucky he only stabbed your shoulder.”

Anne could only stare at her.

Then, Anne felt arms wrap around her and tears fall onto her shoulder and neck. Catalina.

“God, Anne. I was terrified. I thought he killed you.” Catalina whispered. “There was blood and you were so hurt…”

Anne could only sigh, pressing her own face against Catalina’s hair, closing her eyes tight. Kat’s hand was still latched onto hers and the other queens’ presences were just as steady.

In warmth like this, even with everything that just happened, Anne felt safe. (Or maybe the painkillers were making her drowsy.)

“This time, we’re keeping our promise. Henry is in jail where he can never touch you or us again.” Kat said, a glare on her face as if Henry stood in front of her.

“You promise he’s in jail?” Anne mumbled, beginning to drift off again.

“We promise. You’re safe Anne, and we’ll all be right here.”

So Anne drifted off.

She didn’t feel safe just yet. But at this point, she was too tired to think about it.

(She was going to be okay.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope it turned out well!!!
> 
> I know it’s more hurt/comfort than pure angst, but I like the way this turned out (I think the end could’ve gone a tad better, but it’s fine—) and I really prefer hurt/comfort with happy ends over angst and the like (though I wont object to reading it, it’s just hard for me to write—)
> 
> This project was fun and I was happy to be part of it! I can’t wait to see what everyone else comes up with, both angst and fluff!
> 
> Anyways, please tell me if there’s an error or a warning I forgot to tag!
> 
> Happy holidays everyone!!!


	3. rainbowskissors' Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of all the people Anne had cut out of her life, only one of them had left a wound deep enough to sting even after several months.
> 
> It was for the best, she'd told herself over and over.
> 
> "She doesn’t care about you. Not in the slightest."
> 
> "Get over it, you pathetic cry baby."
> 
> Still, there were many nights when she held her arms close to her chest, trying as hard as she could to stifle her sobs. The cries that wracked her were pitiful to anyone who heard her in the middle of the night and the early hours of the morning.
> 
> Anne's body yearned for her cousin's soft hugs, her sweet laughter, her randomly spouting facts and her quirky, adorable personality. Her body ached with all its might, and yet her mind never seemed to drop the wall it’d put up ever since Kitty’s cold departure.
> 
> But it was all gone now, and Anne was fairly sure that was all on her part. How had her life spiraled down so badly?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw’s for this chapter: suicidal/intrusive thoughts, grief, outbursts, swearing (i believe that’s it, please tell me if i need to tag anymore and i will asap)

_ "'Morning, love," Cathy murmured as she entered the kitchen. The sight that greeted her was quite common, unfortunately - at the table sat Anne in a thin sweater, shivering slightly. From where Cathy stood in the doorway, it looked like she was wearing shorts.  _

_ Anne gripped a cup filled with what Cathy could only assume was coffee. How much she'd consumed during the night while Cathy had gone to bed, she had no idea. _

_ How long had Anne been like this? _

_ Anne grunted a "hello" to her girlfriend before taking another huge chug of coffee. Cathy raised an eyebrow, her expression half-amused and half-exasperated. _

_ "Coming for my brand, are you?" she teased, staring at the coffee cup in Anne's hand. It was usually Cathy who was pulling all-nighters, but ever since she'd learned that sleep was alright to succumb to, she'd been having less and less sleepless nights. _

_ Now, it was Anne staring lifelessly at the kitchen tiles, gripping the handle of her mug tighter. Cathy pouted when she saw that Anne was shivering in her threadbare sweater and pajama shorts. Rightfully so - it was the middle of winter.  _

_ "Anne, darling. You need to go to sleep," Cathy murmured softly. _

_ There was no reply. Anne's gaze drifted back down to her coffee cup instead, a small mewling noise sounding from the back of her throat. _

_ Cathy's heart twisted for her girlfriend. Sleepless nights had become the norm, with Anne taking Cathy's place as the insomniac. _

_ Cathy pulled out a mug from the cupboard and began to make her own cup of coffee, although she doubted hers would have as much sugar as Anne's had. _

_ She sat beside her girlfriend at the table, taking the hand that wasn't holding onto the mug) like a lifeline. She was startled when an ice-cold tremor passed through her. Still, Anne stayed motionless, her gaze blank and empty. Dark circles rimmed her eyes like a raccoon's mask, and her hair was as messy as a bird's nest. _

_ Cathy pursed her lips, trying to figure out how to get her girlfriend in motion. She had to leave for work soon, but she didn't want to leave Anne in her fragile state of mind.  _

_ She knew that Anne blamed herself wholly for her and her cousin's estranged bond. Cathy had no idea how to comfort her, especially when she knew how bad and strained the cousins' relationship currently stood. _

_ "Cathy, I can't stop thinking about it! I-It's my fault she left. I was such a shitty cousin, I didn't respect her. And - and now she's gone, and I can't- I can't make it up to her! What the fuck am I supposed to do?" _

_ Cathy blinked twice, taken by surprise by Anne's sudden outburst. Her girlfriend's emerald-green eyes were wide open, and she'd stood up, causing Cathy to lean back in her chair. _

_ "I-"  _

_ "And I can't even reach out to her. I'm so goddamn scared for her, but she won't even answer my calls. I just know it. And I don't know where the fuck she's run off to-" _

_ "Hey, hey, hey. Anne, love. Calm down," Cathy interjected, placing a finger on her girlfriend's lips. Anne slumped back in her chair, her eyes still very wide, looking quite shocked. _

_ "I just... don't know what to do," she said quietly after a while. Cathy took a deep breath, then took her other hand to place grab Anne's wrist - the one that was holding the mug - and clenched it in her warm grasp. That action seemed to help, and Anne loosened up significantly. Still, she looked shaken and haunted. _

_ "I know this is difficult for you," Cathy began. Anne looked at her helplessly, but let her continue. "But you need to understand it's not all your fault." _

_ Anne gazed at her, tear tracks now tracing down her face. She heaved a shuddering sob. “Okay,” she whispered. _

_ Cathy smiled with one side of her mouth. At least Anne was able to accept this fact; that was much more progress than any of the queens had been able to make. _

_ “Good morning,” came a light-hearted chirp from the doorway. Cathy turned to the source of the voice, but Anne didn’t even move. _

_ Anna stood with her arm leaning against the frame, glancing at the couple. The bright expression on her face dimmed a little when she noticed Anne’s face, but she smiled as she crossed over to the two. _

_ “Is she alright?” Anna asked in a low voice as she lowered into a chair. Cathy let out a breath through her nose. _

_ “Your guess is as good as mine,” she replied. Anna could tell she was trying to be humourous, but she could see the toll Anne’s lethargy and depression had been taking on her girlfriend. Cathy’s eyes were brimming with pain. _

_ Anna was also quite badly affected by the fifth queen’s departure, though she tried her hardest to mask it at all times.  _

_ She’d been preparing to ask Kitty out the day before she’d fled.  _

_ Actually, that wasn’t true. Anna had wanted to do it that night, but noticing how fidgety and anxious Kitty seemed, she decided to hold off until the next morning. _

_ She’d never even gotten to say goodbye. _

_ The last sign of her best friend’s existence was now encapsuled in a letter, scribbled messily in a pink glitter gel pen which Anna kept safely guarded in the top drawer of her dresser. _

_ The red queen shook her head slightly, trying to clear her mind of all the bad thoughts that came rushing back in the somber mood of the queens.  _

_ She pursed her lips sympathetically, giving Cathy a short glance. The three sat in silence, not really wanting to move much, until a fourth person entered the kitchen. Jane. _

_ “Morning, loves,” she said softly, noticing Anne’s demenour as soon as she entered. It was like a black storm cloud looming over everyone’s head - raining down and dampening everyone’s moods. But they were helpless; they knew how fragile Anne’s mental state was, and how disastrous an intervention could end. Hell, they were just as worried for Kat’s safety as Anne was, and they didn’t know how to deal with Anne either way. It was a living nightmare for all of them. _

_ Jane crossed the kitchen to the fridge, and quietly pulled out the ingredients to make bacon and eggs before closing the door and walking to the stove. She then prepped a pan and set the fire. _

_ The silence was deafening, only being broken by the occasional soft clang of pots as Jane cooked. None of the queens knew how to help Anne, and it was eating their consciousness every waking moment.  _

_ “So... how did everyone sleep?” Anna murmured, trying to break the ice. Jane made a noise from where she was cooking, speaking softly and only loud enough so the others could hear her over the sizzle of the eggs. _

_ “Eh, ‘twas okay. Lina hogged most of the bed, though, so I almost got kicked off at some point,” she joked. It hung in the air for a moment, its presence so awkward that Jane immediately wished she’d just responded with one word and left it at that. _

_ Cathy and Anna were silent at that - they both slept alone. _

_ Finally, Lina came down. She immediately noticed the tension, and didn’t say anything besides a brief ‘morning’ to everyone. _

_ Breakfast was eaten in silence. _

_ It was tragic, really. The six- now five - women had been so close for several years. But after the closure of the musical they’d all poured their hearts in, things just weren’t the same.. and there were less and less conversation fillers every day. _

\------

[eight years later]

Anne smiled wistfully, bitterly, as she remembered that morning. Now she stood, wrapped in cold London fog as she waited for her train. It was 7:30 in the morning, and the sleep still hadn’t fully left her eyes yet.

She let out a sigh. Oh, how she missed the company of the other women. Sure, she’d been a  _ tad _ depressed -- okay, she’d barely interacted with them for several months - but she still missed them nonetheless. They were the kind, loving, protective, sweet family Anne had missed out on in her previous life.

Now, the women were scattered all over the world. Jane had gone to visit her friends in Canada, and Lina and Anna had gone back to their respective countries to immerse themselves in their hometown cultures.

Anne had finally, actually gotten in contact with Kat a few weeks ago. Turns out she’d been living in England all the time, only she’d moved down to Wales. Certainly unexpected, especially from someone like Kitty - her personality contrasted almost comically with the blandness of Cymru. Then again, it was a smart move if she hadn’t wanted to be tracked down anytime soon.

That just left Cathy. However, she couldn’t be reached by Anne, or any of the queens, at the moment.

Why?

Oh.

Because Cathy was dead.

Anne had her arms crossed, wrapped over her chest protectively to reduce the amount of shivering the breeze brought on. She was suddenly overcome by a strong urge to sob, as she remembered how Cathy would wrap her strong arms around her and hug her until she stopped shivering. Then she’d place a sweet peck on her nose and waltz away to make another coffee, or perhaps prep the two a small snack.

_ Stop it. Stop it, _ she told herself firmly, biting her tongue.  _ Cathy is gone. She’s gone. There was nothing you could have done - that truck driver was going way too fast for anyone to stop _ .

And yet, Anne was still gripped by the urge to scream and tear her hair out, to go find that truck driver who had killed the love of her life and send him on his way to hell. 

Cathy. Sweet, nerdy, clumsy, awkward, beautiful Cathy. 

She’d belonged wholly to Anne - until the angels had taken her.

It was quite ironic, really - Anne was a strong and firm believer in her religion, which offered her much comfort whenever she’d needed it. Yet, the moment her lover came into the picture, Anne was willing to drop everything to protect Cathy.

Which she hadn’t been able to do.

**_STOP IT!_ ** Anne shouted to the voices in her head, as she tried with all the physical strength she had to remain upright. 

The voices that were urging her to jump right in front of the train that was approaching, the one that was going to take her to see her cousin in a matter of hours. 

To any other passenger at the station at this hour, Anne would have looked quite insane. Her pupils must have dilated and widened at least three times every minute, and her breathing was so uneven she was hyperventilating. Inside her red mittens - the ones Cathy had given to her as a Christmas present - her fingers were clenching and unchlenching over and over, her knuckles whitening rapidly.

Anne blinked back tears swimming in her emerald eyes, hugging her arms even closer to her chest.

The train screeched to a halt, skidding slightly on the damp, rusted tracks. The doors opened with loud creaks.

Anne barely registered as the train waited with the doors open. She was caught in a sudden ice-cold fear - did she really want to go see her cousin after all? How would Kitty react if she saw Anne show up on her doorstep after six years, with no prior warning?

Anne doubted her cousin would greet her with open arms after all this time. Especially after the ice cold argument they’d shared before parting ways for what they thought would be forever.

_ I’m not mentally stable enough for this, _ she laughed to herself wryly, lifting up her boot and stepping into the car right as the doors shut behind her. She quickly found a seat next to the window, and sat down as the train lurched into motion.

\-----

“All passengers off the train before we turn around and head back to London!”

Anne blearily blinked her eyes open at the shout of the conductor. For a moment, stars swum behind her eyelids before they cleared. With that came her memory and the remembrance of why she was here. 

In a matter of half an hour, she’d reunite with her cousin.

Despite her never-ending, longing ache for Cathy, the grief was temporarily dimmed as Anne’s terror of confronting her cousin overwashed her. 

What would she say? What  _ could _ she say? 

_ Nice to see you? It’s been awhile? You look different? _

She winced at that last one. That would never sit right with Kat.

She took a deep, shuddering breath, wincing when the cold pricked her lungs. However Kat reacted, she would try her best to mend the broken bonds between them.

With that half-assuring thought in mind, Anne burrowed her chin deeper into her jacket and set off on the island to find the current dwelling of her cousin.

[two hours later]

The paint on the door was peeling and cracking. It looked quite old, and was sitting crookedly in the wooden doorway. It sat in a small house, on the coast of a small cliff. Down below on the beach were several jagged rocks that would certainly pierce anyone who fell. Sheep dotted the landscape, a very common sight, as Anne had come to realize; they were as populous here as pigeons were in the city.

Anne had arrived. 

Kat’s door had an oval plaque on it with the numbers ‘225’ in a bold font, and Anne raised her hand to knock on the door. She’d come all this way - after getting lost numerous times on the island, and almost falling into a pile of shit, she’d made it.

Again, that feeling of overwhelming terror engulfed her. Anne was never good with feelings, especially when they were as magnified as right now. Her hand faltered and lowered back to her side, her doubts washing over her like the murky black water on the beaches below.

Trying to steady her erratic heartbeat, she focused on the several cracks running the length of the door. She raised an eyebrow in amusement - no wonder Kat had run away to this shabby little house. It was the complete opposite of her cousin’s personality, just like everything about the foggy island.

Raising her fist once more, she prayed that Kat was home.

_ Knock. _

What if she turned her away? She’d been anxiously planning for this trip for over a month now - technically, she could’ve met with her cousin in a much shorter span of time, but nerves had overcome her every single time she’d tried to leave the house. That, and her growing depression.

_ Knock. _

What would they discuss? Surely Kat heard of Cathy now. It’d made a bold headline in the paper -  **_Speeding truck driver crashes and kills one_ ** . Anne swallowed, vigorously pushing away the memory of seeing that painful article in the news.

_ Kno- _

She didn’t even get to finish the third knock, when there stood Kitty, who’d opened the door and was standing in the arch.

Anne’s breath hitched in her throat as she took in the sight of her cousin after all these years.

Her signature pink hair, the tips she’d prided herself on, were no longer vibrant. The colour was dull and washed out, her hair cascading around her shoulders. Her face looked significantly older, though it still retained the younger aspects of Kitty’s age. 

But, oh, her eyes. They were haunting. Her once-warm, chocolate brown eyes were flushed out. There were no stars that previously illuminated them, no bright spark of life- they were simply dead.

“Annie, shit--” Kit muttered under her breath. Then her hand flew to her mouth, as if the statement had slipped out unwillingly. Her voice was hoarse, and cracked on Anne’s nickname. 

Then came the tears.

Anne couldn’t help it - she was sentimental as fuck. They flowed out of her eyes like waterfalls, and she didn’t even register when a loud  _ sniff _ could be heard.

Kat flinched at the tears, though her expression was unreadable. Her hands were shaking slightly, clenching and unclenching.

Anne bit her lip, a silent sob escaping them.

Oh, how she’d missed her cousin. There had always been a void in her soul since Kat’s departure, a hole that had only widened at Cathy’s death. Now, it gaped open only for Kat’s view, as if waiting to be sewn back together by forgiveness. 

A tense silence. Fog inadvertently caused a shiver to run down Anne’s spine, and she crossed her arms unconsciously.

_ What now? _ her mind asked. Kat hadn’t reacted to her presence yet; and she was getting anxious.

“Kat,” Anne whispered. Her voice was filled with grief, regret, and sorrow. One word was all she could manage to get out- her throat was too clogged with words that would never be spoken. 

And that was all it took. It was as if, at the utter of her name, a spell had been broken - one that had held control over Kat’s life.

The barrier shattered.

The younger girl practically launched herself into Anne’s arms, and Anne barely hesitated before wrapping her arms around the small of Kat’s back. Vaguely, Anne could smell Kat’s lavender perfume, and a new wave of tears came. It was the same perfume Kat had used religiously before the fight, and she’d never stopped using it.

“I’ve missed you, Annie. So freaking much. But I was so scared, too,” Kat whispered. Her voice sounded broken, which only prompted Anne to hug her even stronger.

“So was I, chaton,” she murmured back in Kat’s ear. 

Eventually, after several minutes, they pulled away, both their cheeks slick with tears. The invisible threads of their relationship, the ones that had been severed that fateful night, were being sewn back together by the silent forgiveness that hung in the air between the cousins.

Maybe things wouldn’t ever be the same - Anne wasn’t naive enough to believe that anything would ever, or  _ could _ ever, be the same again.

But she had hope for the future.

It would be alright.

\----

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY SHIT well i slaved over this for a week... damn writer’s block can suck my ass anYWAYS
> 
> i hope you liked the chapter! i hope the reconciliation wasn’t too rushed, but it IS almost midnight when i’m writing this and i’m so tired--
> 
> unfortunately, i’m going back into lockdown, which means no more accessing my dance studio’s wifi for an entire 4 WEEKS. PLUS WINTER BREAK-- i will cry the entire time because i can’t interact with anyone, but... at least this will be posted (alongside some parrward angst, go check that out uwu)!!!
> 
> i love you all, stay safe, and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!! this project was truly a gift, and such an iconic result of the mini fandom fight we started. i love everyone who’s interacted with this or had a say in the creation of this project, y’all are the freakin BOMBS !! see y’all in 2021 <3
> 
> love, izzy :]


	4. LetsgoRavendors' Chapter

(Edited) I’ll have some heavy parrlyn angst—anne centric—with an immortal au


	5. HMA64 (parrlyn-and-neurodivergent-six) Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Partly based on a prompt by @arithebroadwayaddict on Tumblr, a personal headcanon and a Cimanon's request for Anne angst :)
> 
> What happens when you suffer from Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria, PTSD from being accused of something you didn't do because you failed to do something that was expected of you and little to no perception of danger?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, hello! *shy wave*   
> This ended up being significantly longer than expected. Apparently caffeine + no sleep + hyperfocus = 3000ish words of angst. Welp, I hope you like it!
> 
> Ooo and a quick note:  
> Bold writing = it's the RSD talking  
> Italics are Anne's thoughts  
> Bold Italics are PTSD memories.

In the time between coming back to life and starting to write the show, everyone came to realise several things about Anne Boleyn.

1) She was smarter than most people gave her credit for

2) She was an agent of chaos in the best way possible

3) She had ADHD

And 4) She was a lot more sensitive to other people's opinions of her than anyone originally thought. Dangerously so.

This is about the 4th one.

* * *

It had been around eight months since the former wives of Henry VIII and four of their Ladies in Waiting had been brought back to life in new bodies. In those eight months, they'd all managed to adjust (for the most part.) Cathy and Anne had started looking to something called Autism and ADHD, Kitty had finally started to open up to everyone, the first three wives had managed to put their differences aside and actually become friends, all seemed to be going well. 

Seemed to be. 

The first person to notice it was Jane. In her previous life, she and Anne hadn't been that close and, after the latter had begun to court Henry, Jane's loyalty to Catalina, and then infatuation with Henry, had basically blinded her to anything that upset Anne (something that the third Queen maintained she would never feel anything but shame for.) Now though, things were different. 

Now, Anne was her cousin first, everything else second, even if both of them were still a little awkward about the new dynamic. 

And what Jane was beginning to notice about Anne was that her cousin was a total people pleaser. It seemed as though the second Queen would do almost anything to be liked, especially by herself (Jane), Catalina, and Cathy. If any of them asked Anne to do something, she would do it at the drop of a hat. If any of them said they liked a thing, Anne would find out as much about that thing as she could so she could discuss it with them. If any of them said something negative about themselves as a joke (which they were starting to learn was not only normal in this day and age, but also pretty funny), Anne wouldn't always get it. And when she didn't, she would practically trip over her words to correct them.

It wasn't just with the three of them either. Anne wouldn't hesitate to spend her whole night awake with Kitty, even after the younger woman eventually went to sleep. She'd go running with Anna for hours, even if it left her sore and struggling to breathe. She'd go out with Maggie in torrential rain, drive to pick Bessie up from the shopping centre in the dead of night, spend hours on the phone with Joan when the former LiW couldn't sleep, she'd even run from their house to Maria's at 6 am because she found out Maria had left her phone charger at their place.

Part of Jane wanted to just write it off as Anne being friendly. Maybe Anne was actually just a good friend and she'd never noticed it before because of their pasts.

Except...

Except she'd heard Anne crying into her pillow one night after Catalina had jokingly said she was insane.

Except she'd had Anne blow up at her because of a small argument that had escalated into a screaming match after Jane told Anne she was being stupid.

Except she'd seen Anne run directly into traffic, with seemingly no sense of self-preservation, so she could continue talking to Kitty about something that the fifth Queen had liked.

* * *

"Are you telling me you've noticed it too?"

Kitty nodded at her older cousin's question, then looked around to the others. "You guys didn't?"

Jane had assembled the others one afternoon while Anne was at the library. She'd heard Anne again last night, screaming into her pillows after everyone else had gone to sleep and had finally decided enough was enough.

"I mean, sort of?" Said Cathy, nervously fidgeting with her sleeves, "But I didn't know her the first time around so I thought that might just be her normally?"

"In a way, it is." Piped up Maggie from her seat on the floor, "Anne's always tried to keep people happy but this is on a whole other level." She ran a hand over the back of her neck with a sigh, "I mean, running across town in the dark? Walking into traffic? That's straight-up dangerous. Anne would try and make people like her before but she never used to do dangerous shit." 

"Maybe it's from all the fighting when we first came back?" Offered Anna, "I mean, no offence," She said, looking to Jane and Catalina "But you three really went at it for the first two months-"

"So you're saying it's Lina's fault?!" Snapped Maria. Bessie rolled her eyes.

"No, she's not. She's saying that it might be a factor though."

"What might be a factor in what?"

The nine women collectively jumped and turned to the door, where Anne was standing with an arm-load of books and a confused expression.

"Nothing important Annie." Said Kitty, quickly throwing on a smile, "What books did you get?"

They all watched as Anne's face fell slightly, their own confusion growing as she seemed to stiffen, "Just a couple things. I got one of the history books you seemed interested in and Cathy, I grabbed that play you asked for." She explained, holding up a copy of _Orestes_ , "What's going on?" She asked cautiously, looking around at all of them.

"Nothing, we were just having a chat." Replied Anna with a smile.

"About what?"

"As Kitty said, nothing important." Jane stood up, a soft smile on her face as she went over and helped Anne put the books down. She didn't miss the slight shake in Anne's hands as she took the books from her.

"You okay Anne?" Asked Cathy, as she took her book from Anne. Anne gave her a clearly forced smile. 

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Her voice sounded normal, just as hyper and excitable as always, but Jane and Cathy both saw the fear in the green Queen's eyes. Before they could speak though, Anne beat them to it. "Welp, I'll let you guys get back to your...not important, conversation. I'll be in my room if anyone...if anyone needs me." And with that, she smiled again and darted upstairs.

The third and sixth Queens looked back to their friends with obvious concern.

"Okay...now I see it." Said Maria.

* * *

Anne made sure to lock her door the second she got to her room. She tried to take a deep breath, but she ended up having to cover her mouth to muffle a choked sob. 

**They're planning something,** came a voice in her head that sounded scarily like her father's, **I knew you'd make them turn on you eventually.**

_But I didn't do anything!_ Thought Anne, as she began pacing the room, _I even brought books back for Kit and Cathy!_

**They don't want you,** the voice replied, **Or your little gifts. You probably got the wrong books anyway, forgetful idiot!**

Another muffled sob escaped her as she continued pacing.

_No. No, they love me. They do. I...I just need to try harder._

**Try harder...pathetic. Even when you try it's not good enough, is it?** That thought didn't sound like her father. That one sounded like George. 

Anne grabbed one of her pillows and screamed into it, frustration and fear practically radiating off of her.

_**Another loss...how long will the King put up with this?** _

_**She's never been particularly regal, has she? Not like Lady Catalina.** _

_**I hear the King's favour has moved to one of her Ladies.** _

_**Her sister would have made a better Queen.** _

_Get a grip, Boleyn!_ Anne thought to herself, desperately trying to drown out the voices of long-dead courtiers. She could see their faces in her mind's eye, could feel the anger and disappointment in their words. 

**You fail Anne.** Her father's voice again, or was it Henry's? She couldn't tell anymore. **You fail, and you turn people against you and people die. They get hurt. They reject and abandon you. Try harder!**

"Try harder...try harder...try harder...t-try h-...tr-..." Anne's sobs grew more intense as she felt her own voice fade away. Even if she wanted to talk, she couldn't. 

_Try harder, Anne. Just...don't lose them..._

* * *

A week later and everyone was getting really, _really_ worried about Anne.

They'd all been talking between themselves, trying to think of the best way to approach the second Queen about whatever was bothering her, but it seemed as if Anne had ramped her people-pleasing up to 11 in that time. She'd done all of the Queens' chores around the house before any of them had even started, she'd bought Maggie a new guitar and helped Joan sign up for piano lessons, she'd carried all of Anna's new work-out stuff home and refused to let the red Queen carry any of it. 

But the most concerning thing was that Anne had barely spoken. No explanations, no jokes, no sarcasm, nothing. She only talked to ask the others how they were, if there was anything she could do to help them, but never anything else. 

The Queens and the Ladies weren't stupid. They knew they were going to have to do something soon.

None of them expected it to go down the way it did.

* * *

It was late afternoon on day 9 of Anne barely speaking. 

The whole group had decided to go out for lunch in the city centre, maybe do some shopping, that sort of thing. 

All through lunch, the Queens and Ladies had shared concerned looks, each of them gauging the others to see if any of them could figure out how to bring up the topic.

Anne sat in silence, but as she watched, she could see the exchanged looks.

**This is it.** Came the voice, George again this time, **They're planning to kick you out. Or hurt you.**

_Please...just stop._

"Annie?" 

Anne jumped as Kitty's voice broke through her daze. "Yeah?"

"I asked if you wanted to go to that milkshake place over the road?"

_She sounds annoyed. How many times did she ask? Fuck, I need to pay attention!_

Another false smile, "Sure thing Kitty-Kat! If that's what you wanna do."

Anne didn't miss the look that Kitty shot Jane. 

_Did I say the wrong thing?_

**Of course, you did.** Henry's voice this time, **She was probably hoping you'd go get her one so she didn't have to get up.**

"Uh, actually, you stay there! I'll run over and get you one." Said Anne, suddenly, standing up with a grin, "I've been dying to stretch my legs for the last half hour anyway!"

Catalina caught her eye then, and Anne swore she looked angry.

**And now she thinks you were bored.** Henry again, god Anne almost wished it was her father's voice instead, **She thinks you're being a brat.**

Anne goes to move past Cathy so that she can get to the door, but as she does, the sixth Queen gently catches her sleeve. "Anne, wait. Kitty and I will go with you."

Only Anne doesn't hear Cathy. 

Anne feels a hand quickly grab her and everything else melts away for a moment.

_**Queen Anne, you are under arrest.** _

_**Where are they taking mummy?** _

_**The sentence decided by this court is death by beheading.** _

"Anne!" She jumps back to reality and realises they're all staring at her. It had been Joan who'd yelled her name, Cathy still lightly holding her wrist.

_Shit, shit! I've upset them._

"I-I'll be right back with the shakes." She manages to get out, not managing to get a smile out this time, before she all but runs out of the cafe.

The others immediately stand and start to follow her out, calling her name as they do.

**Stupid, stupid girl!** Okay, maybe her father's voice was worse, **You just couldn't hold it together, could you? Pathetic child. They were right to hand you over to the swordsman. Those women know how stupid you are now. Do you think they're going to stick around? DO YOU?!**

"ANNIE!" 

"ANNE, LOOK OUT!"

She barely registers Kitty and Jane's screams as a force crashes into her right side. A horn blares. 

Then just...darkness.

* * *

The wait in the hospital room is the hardest 8 hours of their second lives. 

The Ladies go home once the doctors say Anne's probably out of the woods in terms of danger. Maria and Joan have to practically drag Maggie away while Bessie calls a taxi, but eventually, they convince the guitarist to go home and sleep. 

The Queens stay. Of course they stay. 

Anna sits on one of the chairs, her head in her hands the whole time, trying to figure out what they're gonna do. 

Catalina and Cathy sit on the floor; Cathy curled up with her head in Catalina's lap, anxiously biting her nails and barely keeping back her third crying fit since the accident. Catalina plays with her hair, silent tears running down her face the whole time as she thinks that maybe, _maybe_ , they could have avoided this if they'd just confronted Anne.

Jane and Kitty take the sofa of the family room, hands clasped together. Neither had stopped crying from the moment that Anne had hit the ground, both replaying it in their heads over and over again.

The second Queen hadn't even looked before stepping out into the road. The car had been way too close. The poor driver hadn't had any time to hit the breaks.

The doctors reckoned the only thing that had saved Anne was the fact the driver was obeying the speed limit and was barely doing 20mph. 

Turned out, Anne got lucky. 2 fractured ribs, broken arm, a few cuts and bruises and a possible concussion. Now, they were just waiting for her to wake up.

Around hour 8 and a half, one of the doctors came in to talk to them. Anne had woken up just after they'd finished setting and casting her arm. As soon as they were done, the five of them could see her. Jane and Kitty immediately started to cry again, this time in relief and Cathy let out a breath that she hadn't totally realised she'd been holding. The doctor continued, explaining the physio Anne would need for her arm, the different pain meds she would be on, and that they'd be keeping her in for the night.

As he was about to leave, Anna stood up.

"Actually, she's been acting strangely for a while now." 

And so, Anna explained everything. Anne's people-pleasing, her episode in the cafe, everything. The doctor thought for a moment before answering.

"Obviously, I don't know her." He said, clearly thinking carefully, "But that sounds like RSD...uh, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria." He clarified at the five blank looks he received. "Basically, it's an extreme emotional reaction to rejection or perceived rejection. It can be anger or sadness, frustration or fear, but that's the basic idea. It's fairly common in ADHD patients." 

A chorus of thank-yous later, he left.

Catalina ran a hand over her face, "We caused this." She said, voice deadpan. 

"How'd you figure that one?" Asked Anna, tiredly. 

"You heard what he said. ' _Extreme emotional reaction to rejection or_ perceived _rejection_.'" Repeated the first Queen, "She thinks we don't care about her."

"The meetings." Said Jane, suddenly, "We've been telling her that all of us were talking about stuff that isn't important. She must have thought we were making fun of her or planning something."

* * *

It was another ten minutes before they were allowed to see Anne.

As soon as she saw them, she burst into tears. Kitty practically ran over and manoeuvred herself onto the bed on Anne's left, carefully wrapping an arm around the older girl's shoulder and letting her cry. Jane wasn't far behind, taking one of the seats on Anne's right and gently reaching over to brush some of the dark strands of hair out of Anne's eyes. Cathy took a chair on Anne's left and held her uninjured hand tightly, with Catalina and Anna sat at opposite sides of the foot of Anne's bed. 

For a while, none of them talked. Then...

"I'm so sorry." 

Five heads turned to look at the injured member of their group at the quiet, broken sounding apology. Before any of them could protest, she continued, "I just wanted you all to like me and-"

"Anne, we do like you." Said Catalina, firmly, "More than that, we love you." 

"Do you have any idea how worried we were?" Asked Jane, "All of us, the Ladies included, we knew something was wrong and we've been trying to figure out how to bring it up, how to help you. That's what all the little talks have been about." 

"I don't even know what's wrong with me." Sighed Anne, "I've always been like this, even the first time around. Always felt like I need to get people to like me, always lost it when it feels like they don't, that sort of thing. But ever since we came back...every single time I can hear them."

"Hear who, love?" Asked Lina.

"Them. All of them. Father, George, Henry, people at court, the jurors, _Lizzie_..." She trailed off as she felt tears prick her eyes, "Reminding me I'm failing, that I'm not good enough, that everyone turns on me eventually." 

"Not us." Kitty's voice was sharp, almost desperate, "Never us, Annie, you have to believe that." She added, quieter this time. Cathy squeezed Anne's not-broken hand at Kitty's words and gave a firm nod, unable to make her brain and mouth coordinate to form words. 

"The doctor thinks you've got something called RSD. Apparently, it makes you really emotional when you've been rejected." Explained Anna.

"Or think you've been rejected." Added Catalina. "He said it goes with ADHD sometimes." 

"But that 'hearing people's voices' thing?" Kitty looked at all of them as she spoke, "That sounds kinda like my PTSD."

"'S possible." Cathy managed to get out. "Not surprising either, considering." 

"...so what now?" Asked Anne, quietly. 

"We get you assessed." Said Jane, "As soon as you're better, we get you assessed for this ADHD thing. And if they can help you, they will."

"And you've got us." Kitty said, "No matter what, you've got us, okay?"

Anne looked around them, taking in each of their faces and, for once, seeing nothing but concern. No anger, no rejection, just...care. She relaxed into Kitty's side a little more and nodded, feeling more like herself than she had in months.

"Okay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! :) This is definitely one of the angstier things I've written and I can never resist adding comfort so...yeah. Thanks for reading and make sure you check out everyone else's accounts!  
> (Also...good luck Fluff team!)
> 
> okay...imma go sleep now lol


	6. SweetTeaSensei (when-will-enough-be-enough)'s Chapter

If all goes well (when does it ever) this is going to be angsty.

Essentially, I grew up along the San Andreas Fault, which meant earthquakes.

Have you ever been inside a blanket, pillow, or any kind of fort before? Has it ever collapsed on you?

Do you know the precise feeling of fear when everything around you starts to crumble, falling down and heading straight for you, too quickly for you to do anything but too slowly for you to not notice?

How about the feeling when the world shakes beneath your feet, and suddenly nothing is stable? What about the feeling when you can't move even though you're surrounded by danger because the floor simply isn't solid anymore?

If you don't know these feelings... then maybe this will open your eyes to them.

jeez, this sounds dark.

(also, there's death)


End file.
